The latest version of power and automation giant ABB’s 800xA integration platform unifies core industrial functions, their planning and execution, enabling industrial companies to maintain control over all aspects affecting production, including safety.
The platform, similar to previous versions, integrates power management and distributed control systems, thereby unifying control over productive resources and critical systems.
It can also be used to design, plan and implement new industrial control and automation processes and systems when a company implements a new process or line, or expands or renews its equipment, says ABB automation business unit senior VP Tobias Becker.
“The new Version 6 provides productive improvements and can be relied upon to sweat assets while maintaining visibility, control and safety protocols in a consistent and traceable manner. Companies can use the native engineering system design tools to integrate new industrial processes and lines into existing systems.”
Safety is a core focus of the latest version and the 800xA system integrates and enforces safety protocols, including area-specific and general alarms. Safety messages can also be communicated in multiple languages at different sites, enabling companies to enforce safety best practices across all their sites, regardless of territory.
Managing all industrial processes and systems in a single, integrated control platform enables companies to use their employees effectively. ABB has also applied ergonomic design in its control rooms to ensure that operators are effective.
“Skills shortages are evident worldwide and using your most talented workers more effectively is increasingly necessary. Further, the ease of collaboration among operators with this new Version 6, including integrated video links, display sharing and control sharing capabilities, enables companies to use their talented operators to oversee and tutor junior operators,” says Becker.
ABB South Africa control technologies VP John McIntosh notes there has been strong demand for the system in South Africa from the company’s local users, who have welcomed the additional capabilities. However, owing to the tepid growth, most of the projects in the country will be brownfield installations.
“While the capabilities of the 800xA system will provide good value and benefits for existing operations, companies are more reluctant to install new systems at older plants or sites. However, the system can be used to unify the management and control of a company’s sites and provide productivity improvements,” he says.
More than 10 000 800xA platforms have been installed worldwide, and the system has a ten-year pedigree of proven integrated power and automation management, says Becker.
“All industrial processes are not only engineered and controlled, but also have redundancy failover systems in the event of an emergency. Other critical systems, such as communications, safety and power, must also conform to these same rigorous engineering standards to make these companies robust, consistent and safe,” he concludes.